From Bewilderment to Acceptance: My Journey as Lecture Coordinator

Some weeks ago, I was elected as the new lecture coordinator at my CDS group without my permission or a hint to carry me along or ask if it was something I wanted but being called out on this day surprised me and became speechless as I was so confused and uncertain why it happened.

As youth corpers, we belonged to different CDS groups which is a community development service. As it's a common practice, corpers are divided into 3 batches and each batch has 2 streams each. Like me, I am in Batch C Stream 1 while Stream 2 members are just three weeks from us. In the group, members are elected for certain positions and it's in rotation like the first batch which is A would be elected and once they are leaving, meaning they have completed a one-year service, the posts are then shifted to the next batch to take over and a small event is done to hand over from the previous elected ones to the new ones.

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A week before I was called out, the batch B members were already leaving and they needed to hand over the positions to the next batch which is C where I belong. When all positions were filled, the only one left was the lecture coordinator and time was gone for that, they had to postpone it till the next week when everyone would be present again. Before that time, I was informed of a post for social treasurer which I quickly declined because I wasn't ready for any responsibility. It wasn't that I wouldn't be able to perform the duty, I just didn't want to be elected for anything. The coordinator of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) understood me and gave the post to another person.

Little did I know, she and other corps members had been eyeing me especially when I was always giving responses to questions being asked at every meeting. It got to a point, where I started listening to rumours from other members that I am very good at explanation and also brilliant, some of them thought of me taking the lecture coordinator post which I blatantly refused.

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I got to the meeting on this particular day and a Corp member sat beside me, we were gisting and suddenly, she whispered into my ear that she would personally choose me if they asked who would be interested in the position because she and others see that I am fit and able for the role. I was bewildered and apprehensive, then begged her not to choose me because I didn't want any responsibility given to me. She smiled and unknowingly to us both, others seated at the back were eavesdropping on our conversation and had made their decision to choose me.

I was still thinking about the responsibility in my mind perhaps I was chosen in the end and I saw that if the majority of them picked me, I wouldn't have a choice but to accept the position, but it was something that got me confused why they would want to do such. Lo and behold, when the coordinator and others arrived, the meeting began and I overheard when the president of the group whispered to the coordinator of which I knew he was trying to inform her of the position still vacant. I sensed that what I wasn't ready for would happen when the woman looked in my direction and smiled but needed to go through the right way which was to throw the question to the other members.

"Who is willing to fill the position of a lecture coordinator?" Everyone had pointed at me, shouting my name even before the question had landed. You need to see how bewildered I was for some seconds, my mouth was opened and when I looked around, no one was left pointing at me as I could see everyone decided on a person which was me. I was told to come outside for recognition which took me a minute to drag myself out because the truth was, I wasn't ready for it. I had declined a post before and that was in my knowledge but it turned out that nature wanted me to take a role before I leave the service.

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I stood in the front and was told to give a little speech..."Good morning my fellow Corp members. I am so surprised at this which I know I wasn't ready for it. Since the majority carries the vote, I shall do my best to carry out my duty as your new lecture coordinator. Thank you." Everyone applauded me and chorused, "Yes, we are now talking." Though it was a moment of joy for them, I also tried to tag along and I whispered in my mind, "May God help me."

After the election, my work began and I was told to give my first lecture on drugs and drug abuse. I did my best and the meeting ended. Ever since then, I have been called "Lecture coordinator" and whatever they need to do, I would be called first. Though I see this as a big responsibility, I guess I am in for this because one thing I love doing is teaching and guiding others. So, this role won't be hard but fun for me too.

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_{Both images are mine}